The Cocktail Party

Haven't we as a society outgrown cocktail parties?  Especially work related cocktail parties?  People spend so much time together at work as it is, what with every company in the world seemingly working at full speed with a skeleton staff.  Do they really expect us to give up our Saturday evenings to go schmooze with the suits?   Ugh!


K's company....well, not the whole company, but her HR group, is invited to a cocktail party at one of the bosses house.  This boss is several rungs up the Big Ladder and apparently looking to go higher.  She's invited some of the top floor guys as well as some of her underlings, K being one of the underlings.  And I, as an employee spousal unit, am invited, too.  


But K doesn't have any burning ambition to climb any higher.  She's found a sweet spot right where she is. She likes what she does, the compensation is acceptable, and the hours are reasonable.  And they love her as it is, even without schmoozing.  When they have a problem or a special project, she's their "go-to" girl.  Is this party to make the boss look good, or is it to let the underlings shine?  Do the top floor shits....oops, typo, I meant SUITS....enjoy this kind of thing or is it a pain for them, too?


You see where this is going.  K and I at a company cocktail party would be like Cheech and Chong at the Royal Wedding (except without the drugs and with better hygiene).  When she brought the invitation home we both just shrugged and accepted it.  Now that "the event" is just days away she's pacing the floor....climbing the walls will be next....wondering how she/we can duck out.  Worst case we show for a few minutes, partake in some free food and drink, then escape out the bathroom window.  Best case, alien abduction en route.


Whatdayathink?


S